Closure
by caporegime1
Summary: This story follows Jaune Arc from when he was launched from Beacon in the locker in the last episode of Vol 3.
1. That Fateful Night

He couldn't stand.

He couldn't breathe.

He couldn't stop shaking.

The tears were swelling in his eyes and through the grinding of his teeth he quietly pleaded, "Weiss... Ruby, please help her. Please..."

The one person who has stood behind him, who supported him, who made him who he was today- was all alone. She was fighting for him, their friends, and the future of Vale. The tears started fall freely. He knew how pathetic he must look; bent over on the ground crying, but he couldn't stop. He knew she would hate to see him like this but she wasn't here now, and she might possibly never return.

And with that thought he completely froze.

"How could I live with myself if she died?" He thought in dismay. "I will never be the same let alone be able to face our friends knowing I had a chance to stop her but I was too weak." He looked down at his hands, now covered in dirt from the surrounding debris. "You were supposed to help me get stronger, to teach me to overcome any challenge. How will you do that now?"

He clenched his fist and struck the ground. "DAMN IT!"

He could feel the blood running from his knuckles down his fingers. Only for an instant did this help subdue the pain he was feeling in his soul. At that moment his memories of Pyrrha overwhelmed his thoughts: from their initial meeting in the locker room, to her amusement of his dress at the school dance, to their first kiss.

Subconsciously he brought his hand to his lips. He still remembered everything in vivid detail- the warmth of her lips, the touch of her hands, and a slightly salty taste of her tears running down his cheeks.

"Pyrrha..." He whispered, "come back to me, please."

The deep guttural howl of a Beowolf snapped Jaune out of his melancholy. It was only then that he recognized the gravity of his current situation. He was all alone in some part of the city that he couldn't recognize due to the destruction. He knew Grimm were pouring into the city and unless he found other hunters and huntresses, Pyrrha's sacrifice will have been in vain.

"I have to do my best to survive for her. As long as there's a chance I can see her again, I'll do everything I can to stay alive", he said aloud, drying his eyes and drawing his sword and shield. "Make you sure you do everything you can to come back to me" he muttered. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, observed his surroundings, and started running in a direction that he hoped would lead him to others.

He had been to Vale a few times and knew the areas where his team and Ruby's team visited but at night amongst all this destruction, he was hopelessly lost.

"Come on, come on, come on, give me something I recognize, anything!"

At that moment he received something better, _BANG BANG BANG!_

"Gun shots!" He exclaimed. He glanced to the right, "it came from over there!" He came up to an intersection and made a right turn, only to be stopped by a massive Ursa.

"Out of my way! I don't have time for you!" He shouted as he ran towards the beast. The Ursa stood on its hind legs to face him and prepared its enormous right paw to strike him. Jaune anticipated this. He brought his shield up to his shoulder and threw his entire weight against the strike. It worked. The Ursa was knocked off balance, and in one swift move Jaune countered by decapitating the beast. For a second he stood there looking at the enemy he defeated. Flash backs of Pyrrha aiding him on the roof of their dorm were starting to creep their way into his consciousness.

However, he was quickly brought back to reality as he heard the cry of a Beowolf behind him, followed by two more howls that succeeded the first. He looked back and saw three Beowolfs trailing him jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

"Aw come on! Can't I get a break!?" he said as he hunched his shoulders in despair.

Again someone seemed to look out for him because the sound of more gun shots snapped him out of his trance. Hope replaced his despair and again he continued running in their direction. As he ran he could hear the Beowolfs' claws on the rooftops following him. He came upon another intersection.

"Ok they definitely came from the left" he said to himself as he rounded the left corner. As he did he caught the name of the street on its respective sign: _Caboose St._ Normally there would be nothing special about this street on a regular day, however, he knew if he was running northward, the next street would be _Puma Ave_. If that was the case, then _Main St_ would follow. It was one of the main tourist spots in Vale: at the end of Main St one could make out Beacon Academy in the distance with its signature green beacon and the outline of the school in the moonlight. Although he was still miles from Pyrrha, any chance he had of possibly seeing... _Something, ANYTHING,_ from the school he was going to take it.

He was approached the next intersection.

"Oh please, let it be...YES!" He loudly exclaimed, catching the ears of a few Beowolfs the next street over.

"Puma Avenue! Just one more to go!"

He quickly glanced over his shoulder, " Damn they're still on me. These guys just don't give up." He knew he would have to deal with them, but that can wait until he reached the end of Main St. He came upon the next intersection, _Main St_ it read. He cut right and although he was far from the end he could make out the school's outline but noticed something was off.

"The beacon, it's gone..." He didn't know whether this was good or bad, but he abruptly stopped after what he saw flying in the moonlight- the giant Grimm.

"Pyrrha, please be all right".

He was about to resume running when we saw two large figures land in front of him from the rooftops. It was two other Beowolfs who heard him shouting earlier. Jaune didn't want to waste time fighting right here and desperately scanned around for an escape route. He quickly looked over his left shoulder and noticed an alley: that was his escape. He started to back up slowly, ensuring he didn't completely turn his back to the Grimm and succumb to a sneak attack.

"Just a few more feet", he thought, and then he'd make a run for it knowing the creature would have difficulty maneuvering in the alley with its size.

Suddenly he sensed immediate danger closing on him, he rolled out the way just in time to miss being landed on by one of the Beowolfs tailing him from earlier. "No...", he cried. His exit was cut off and the other two Beowolfs landed behind the first one.

Now he was surrounded.

He never faced so many enemies at once, and without his semblance he didn't know if he could. Whilst doubting himself, the beast in front of him lunged forward while he was looking back. Jaune almost didn't react in time but he managed to raise his shield to block the attack. However, the attack had enough force to propel him into a brick wall and crack the spot where he struck. Then without skipping a beat, the second Grimm lunged toward him; keeping his composure, Jaune simply side stepped causing the Beowolf to crash full force into the wall, effectively stunning it.

While it was recovering Jaune stabbed it at the base of the head in an instant kill strike, with a renewed fire in his eyes he looked at the nearest Grimm and belted:

"I. WILL NOT. DIE. HERE!"

The nearest Beowolf, sensing that this human wasn't going to be killed easily, started to circle Jaune.

"This is it" he thought. "This moment determines my future amongst the living, or as a memory with those who perished. " Jaune readied his stance, he could see the Beowolf preparing to pounce as its movements started to slow. Before the Grimm could attack, it was thrown off guard by the loud _CLANG_ of Crocea Mors hitting the ground.

He didn't know what was happening. The pain was so intense he couldn't hold onto his sword and subsequently fell freely from his hands as his entire body collapsed on the ground

"Wha-what's happening?" He groaned as he tried to clutch his chest through his armor. He could feel the source of the pain emanating from his heart. He never felt this pain before, he didn't know if it was a heart attack or not, but it felt like someone stabbed him through the heart. The pain only grew in intensity. He shouted in agony at the top of his lungs while the pain spread. It felt as if his body, no, his soul was on fire. He really believed that whatever was causing this pain would kill him. As the pain reached its climax, his body started to convulse and his eyes started to close. Unable to control anything except his voice, he decided his last words would be to Pyrrha. A barely audible "I'm... Sorry", escaped his lips. He resigned himself to this fate. Expecting any moment to be his last, until he heard it:

" _No, I'm sorry_ " said an omnipotent voice that was so familiar to him.

At that moment the pain stopped and he sat straight up. "Pyrrha!" he exclaimed. Suddenly, he saw the most brilliant white light shoot across the sky, originating from Beacon.

That's all he had to say for he knew, she lost. He didn't know how he knew for sure, but he knew. After the pain disappeared and his senses returned he knew something was off. The pain that engulfed his whole body was now replaced by... Nothing. The entire time he was fighting for his life he felt complete, like a normal person. But now, there was a void, not in his heart but in his soul. All the drive, all the motivation he had to survive- was gone. A part of him was now missing, a part that was burnt away by the pain. He never knew it was there, until it was gone. Until, _she,_ was gone.

He looked to the ground at his sword. He could see the Beowolf out of his peripherals. He knew he should pick it up, to prepare to fight, but he couldn't. He didn't want to. He lost all will to live. The Grimm sensed his prey's defeat. It casually walked up to Jaune and using a paw, swatted him against the brick wall once more. Jaune never looked up. He only stared at the ground. He knew he should shout, fight, run; he should do _something_! So he did. He turned his gaze straight into the beast's eyes.

He said " well what are you waiting for? Just finish it."

The Grimm was more than happy to oblige. It walked straight up to Jaune, looked him in the eyes, and with what Jaune thought was a slight grin... It proceeded to bite his throat and tear it out. Got ya! Just keep reading, it doesn't end here.

After he struck the wall he could feel something wasn't right, especially after he heard a loud _crack_. He sat up and felt a sharp, stinging pain on the right side of his abdomen. As he went to feel the area with his right arm, he felt another shooting pain, and the trickle of blood.

"Fantastic. My ribs and arm are broken. Never thought it would end like this." he grinned in hopelessness.

As he sat there he could feel his eyes getting heavy and see his vision blurring. His whole body began to ache from all the stress as the adrenaline started to leave his system. It was so bad he couldn't even sit up anymore. He keeled over, holding his ribs with his left hand, his eyes watching the Beowolf's legs saunter ever closer to him.

"So this is how I go?" he asked.

He closed his eyes, just waiting for the pain to end. The Beowolf's breath becoming more audible.

"Pyrrha, I'll see you soon" he whispered, as a smile formed on his lips. And the world faded to oblivion.

 _BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG_! His eyes shot open and saw he was face-to-face with the Grimm lying dead in front of him.

"Who..." And that question was answered immediately as he saw a figure in front of him. The figure wore dark colored stockings, white shorts, and a white shirt with a dark colored vest that met at the stomach.

All he could muster was "Who... Are... You?"

The figure turned around and that's when he saw those yellow eyes... And the outline of a bow in the moonlight.

"B-Blake?" His vision started to fade again and as the world turned black, and he heard more gun shots as she stood her ground to protect him.


	2. A Second Chance?

Chapter 2: A second chance?

A load, thundering roar caused Jaune to open his eyes.

What he saw he refused to believe, his gaze raised from eye level upward toward the shattered moon. Directly in front of him stood the Beacon.

With the symbol of Vale's former strength and his greatest tragedy staring him in face, all he could manage was "But how..."

At first everything seemed to be the exact same from what he experienced that fateful night. However, as he continued to observe his surroundings, it was becoming clearer to him precisely what he was seeing.

He noticed smoke rising from other parts of the school, large pieces of stone from the Beacon were strewn about, sounds of other students engaging in battles were all around him, and the giant Grimm circling the sky.

"It isn't _like_ that night, it _IS_ that night.", he stated.

He was dumbfounded. Somehow he was back at the exact moment his life changed. The exact moment that he lost Pyrrha.

He continued to stare up at the Beacon with a dumbfounded expression but little by little an idea was forming in his mind.

"So if I've returned to the exact moment before I'm thrown in the locker-"

His heart skipped a beat with anticipation, but also with immense hesitation.

"Pyrrha is still alive."

He didn't want to think about that. He couldn't think about that.

He didn't want to fool himself into believing he could ever see her again.

Yet, he felt a small spark in his heart. A spark that breathed fire into his weary, battered soul and strengthened his resolve. A spark that ignited within him one of mankind's greatest attributes: hope. It was hope that was starting to replace the void in his soul.

He knew he shouldn't hope for a reunion with Pyrrha. He knew that any such ideas would be foolhardy and just lead to more despair. He knew he should do his best to recover and seek out those who did his partner harm. He knew he shouldn't expect the best, but instead prepare for the worst. Yet the spark only grew.

"But, what if...", he quietly muttered.

"Jaune?", he felt the gentle placement of a hand on his right shoulder as he heard a soft, familiar voice call his name.

His breathing stopped. His heart started to pound through his chest. His entire body tensed as he turned around to come face-to-face with his invincible girl.

He reached out and took her hand in both of his. He could feel her warmth. She was really in front of him. In the flesh.

The longer he stared into her eyes, the more he didn't care about the world around him. Yet he noticed that instead of the usual joy and happiness, he could see her eyes were masked with sadness.

Then something caught his eye out of his peripherals. There it stood. Ominous in shape and dark in color. That damn locker.

He couldn't let past events repeat themselves. He needed to stop her, and this was his chance.

"Pyrrha, I don't know how we got here. I don't know what's going on but what I do know is you're planning to throw me in that locker to save me."

The sadness once contained in Pyrrha's eyes spread to the rest of her face.

She started to reply, "Jaune, I-"

"NO!" He shouted. Pyrrha was startled by his outburst.

"You're not going up there alone!", he exclaimed.

He put his hands on her shoulders and stared at her longingly. His eyes pleading with her not to do it.

"We're partners", he said. "We support each other no matter what!"

Pyrrha turned away from him and withdrew her hand and placed it over her mouth. Jaune could see she was doing her best to refrain from crying. He couldn't stand to see her cry, not her. She was the strongest person he knew.

"Pyrrha... Please. Don't go. But if you must, don't go alone."

He saw that she couldn't hold the tears back.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in close, never wanting to let go.

Everything felt so similar, the metallic cold of her armor, the warmth of her face on his, and the contours of her body.

He held her from what seemed like an eternity. Yet he couldn't just stand there.

He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear:

"Pyrrha, I'm so sorry that it came to this. That it took me so long to realize you were right in front of me. You know I'm clueless when it comes to certain things. But that's no excuse for being an idiot. It should have been you from the beginning. "

He only paused a moment to breathe.

"I never would have made it this far if it wasn't for you. Your encouragement. Your support. Your... love."

He felt her hands tighten their grip and draw him closer. He could feel the quick, rhythmic rise and fall of her chest and he knew she was sobbing.

"I can't let you go alone. We'll win together or we'll lose together. Either way, I'll be with you."

She pulled away only slightly. She looked him in the eyes and put her hands on his cheeks as she gently placed her lips on his.

With both of them locked in their lover's embrace, Jaune was at ease. He told her everything he never had the chance to say before. He stood up to her and let her know he was willing to die next to her. There was nothing more to be said. This where he wanted to be, with her.

Even through their closed eyes they could sense something was wrong. As they broke their kiss, the pair noticed a white light radiating from the moon. Only this time it was increasing in size and increasing fast.

"What in the world? What's happening?", Jaune asked. He noticed that he no longer felt Pyrrha's hands and looked at her. Her face was distraught with panic.

"No no no, not now. Please!", she pleaded as she withdrew from Jaune.

Jaune didn't know what to make of the situation, but he could tell she knew what was happening.

"Pyrrha do you know-", his question was cut short, for behind her he could see the light was beginning to touch the rest of the school. And everything it touched, disintegrated into nothing.

The light was nearly upon them when he looked at Pyrrha. He could see that her body was beginning to break down as strands of her red hair started to dissolve in mid air.

"No, Pyrrah! I can't lose you again!", he shouted as he reached his outstretched hand toward her.

"Jaune! Just know how I longed to hear you say those words!", she said as she reached her hand toward his.

As she looked toward Jaune, she couldn't help but feel sorry for putting him trough this. His face riddled with confusion and grief as his partner started to dissolve in front of him. She knew he was crying out for her but she couldn't hear anything as the light started to engulf her. She couldn't imagine the pain he must feel. She only hoped he could forgive her for being so selfish. As she reached for his hand she knew it was futile for her time was up. Yet she longed to feel his touch one more time.

To Jaune, everything was in slow motion. Pyrrha was only a few feet away and his hand should have reached by now, or so he thought. Each fraction of a second he could see he was losing more of her. He had to try and reach her. He had to try!

With their hands almost touching he closed his fingers around hers.

Only to find he was grasping at nothing.

He just stood there in silence as the light consumed everything else around him. He looked at his closed fist, not knowing what to feel.

As he opened his hand, he looked down and saw what was left of her.

"Is this... ash?"

Unfortunately as he was trying to wrap his head about what he currently held, that too was consumed by the light. The last vestiges of his partner were no more.

"It's not fair!", he yelled at no one in particular.

Tears started to fall onto his palm.

"It's not fair... Why does she have to be taken away...", this time whispering through his tears.

He looked at his own body expecting to disappear... Only nothing happened. There he stood.

All alone.

Left only to his thoughts of how he failed to save the one person he cared for more than any other.

He laid down on his side. Arms crossed and knees bent to his chest.

He knew he looked pathetic, but he was a broken warrior, and the ever growing void in his soul confirmed this.

He remained on the ground. Curled up, left only to his memories and thoughts of what could have been.

As he lay there, repeating "why...why...why..." through broken sobs, his body started to fade away as the light eventually consumed him.


	3. Trying to Make Sense of it All

Jaune rolled over on his back, ready to accept his fate- ready to meet his death head on. Only, it wouldn't be as easy as he thought.

The intensity of the light was starting to diminish.

"What is happening? Why is this happening!? Can't i just die already!?" he yelled.

The light wasn't unbearable to look at now, just uncomfortable. He turned his gaze toward it and was able to see it had a source. The light was shining from one spot in the sky. He lifted his left hand to shield his view, only to discover he met with resistance.

He continued to attempt to raise his arm when he realized this unknown force had a very familiar feeling.

His arm was constricted by something… soft, plush, and gentle to the touch.

He did his best to look down but his neck was stiff and ached when moved in any direction. Yet he was able to make out the mysterious force that was holding him down.

"A-a blanket?" he stated in utter surprise.

"Am I in a bed?"

He continued to scan his body with his eyes, making sure to keep his head still as possible. It was then he was able to see that he was, in fact, lying on a bed, covered with a blanket.

He looked back toward the light shining on his face. Jaune was finally able to see the source of this light: the sun. The sun was still rising; set to the backdrop of an endless, clear blue sky.

However, this beautiful sight quickly caused panic to wash over him.

"Wait… SUNRISE!?" he shouted internally. "It should still be night time…"

He attempted to recall everything, _anything_ about last night. He transfixed his gaze on a spot on the ceiling. His eyes, unblinking- he _had_ to remember. He started to go over last night's events in his mind.

"Ok, Ok, what happened last night? Oh think Jaune, come on! I… I was running toward Beacon, then… I was attacked but I was able to get through. Yeah! That's right. An Ursa, which was no match for me!"

A slight smile appeared on the corner of his lips.

"Ok after the Ursa- I ran some more. There was something following me, something dangerous… Beowolfs! A-and they cornered me when I turned down the street"

Everything was coming back to him.

"Ok, I killed one and was about to fight the other when… there was a white light. But before that, there was… pain."

The smile on his face vanished.

"Pyrrha… lost. Then- then I was about to die. Yet I didn't, I think someone saved me… I think the person had a bow. There were also gun shots.

While still transfixed on the one spot on the ceiling, he furrowed his brow trying to remember the mysterious person.

"The figure turned around and I saw yellow eyes…It was _Blake."_ he said softly

Although he was extremely grateful his good friend saved his life, she just presented him with a paradox.

"I know Pyrrha lost and the last thing I remember before blacking out was Blake's gunshots. I know that was real. So, when I saw Pyrrha- that was real as well, right?" Jaune weakly attempted to reassure himself.

Jaune turned his eyes toward the sun shining through his window. The gears already starting to turn in his head.

"That was the source of the light. As the sun rose the light increased in intensity and disintegrated everything I saw." At this moment the gears stopped. The dreaded reality hit him hard.

"A dream. That's all it was. A… Damn… _DREAM!_ ", he said angrily.

He fooled himself into thinking she was actually alive. He fooled himself in believing they had a chance to be together. He fooled himself into thinking he was strong enough to change anything.

That's when it returned: the void. The void in his soul he first felt after Pyrrha died.

The feeling wasn't obvious when he first awoke but now it was ever apparent. The feelings of guilt, anger, and sadness were spreading through his body.

He wanted to cover his eyes. He felt like he was going to tear up, only this time- his eyes remained dry.

He felt his lips purse together. He felt a slight pressure behind his eyes, yet there was nothing. "I guess… I have no more tears to cry." He closed his eyes and images of his Invincible Girl dissolving in front of him continued to flash in his mind. "What's the point anyway? Tears won't change a damn thing", he said defeated.

He closed his eyes. If it was only just a dream, he didn't want to be awake; he wanted to return to her. He wanted to be able to talk to her and hold her again. But really, what's the point?

"With all this pain, maybe dying wouldn't be so bad. No one knows what happens after death, but if there's a chance I could see her, then mayb-", he was interrupted by a familiar voice that resonated throughout the room.

"Please, Jaune. Don't!" said the omnipotent voice.

"No…" he whispered. Jaune was absolutely dumbfounded. He had to be hearing things, or possibly going crazy. Until he heard it again.

"You must survive!" pleaded the voice. This time, there was no mistaking it.

PYRRHA!?" he yelled as he opened his eyes and sat straight up.

The adrenaline shooting through his system nullified any pain he felt from his neck and back.

He looked straight ahead and noticed a reflection of himself.

"A mirror?" he said puzzled.

Then out of the corner of his eye, standing in the doorway, something caught his attention.

For a brief second, he thought he saw… red hair? And amber-colored armor? But when he shifted his gaze in that direction, all that remained was the door frame.

After this initial shock was over and the adrenaline left his body, a surge of pain riddled his being.

"OOOOWWWW!" he cried out as he flopped back onto the mattress.

"Mr. Arc! What are you doing in there?" shouted a voice from beyond the door.

"Wait, I know that voice. It's-", he attempted to turn his neck through the pain.

Before he could finish his thought, Professor Goodwitch appeared, holding a tray with a bowl and a glass of water.

"Professor Goodwitch! I didn't know you were here!… Wherever here is", he said with a grin on his face.

"This is a shelter that was established for the injured that first night everything happened", she said putting the tray on the nightstand next to him and using a finger to push her glasses to the bridge of her nose as she looked at Jaune.

Suddenly, her stoic stare became an icy glare.

"But this is no time for jokes!" she asserted.

Jaune wanted to retreat a little but there was nowhere to move.

"Let's talk about your behavior young man! Running around in the middle of Vale with Grimm everywhere. You acted so foolhardy that you almost got yourself killed! What were you possibly doing by yourself?! Where were your teammates?"

He could see that she was breathing heavier and slightly red in the face. He knew she was angry at him, livid. Yet, he also knew she was angry because she genuinely cared about him, and everyone else at that school. He must have been in terrible condition when he arrived.

"I-I, well you see.." he started to stutter.

"Out with it young man!" she yelled.

"I was with Pyrrha. She threw me in one of the lockers and shot me into Vale to protect me while she went to battle that woman in the red dress." He didn't dare look Glynda in the eyes when he spoke. He couldn't. He couldn't stand to see the look on her face knowing that he was too weak to help Pyrrha.

Glynda said nothing. Jaune was starting to grow nervous. Professor Goodwitch- known for remarks, scoldings, and lectures- remained silent.

Suddenly he heard her footsteps coming closer to him.

He turned away looking at the wall. She was going to reprimand him, he knew it. Either a lecture, or a slap on the wrist or some other part of the body. Whatever it was going to be, he was sure he deserved it.

To his surprise, the only thing he felt was the weight of someone sitting on the mattress, and two arms wrapping around his waist, gently enough as to not cause him any pain. Then, he heard her voice in his ear.

"I'm so sorry. I truly am", she confessed. "Professor Ozpin and I keep updated on all the students. We knew you two were becoming close. We also knew that what we asked of her meant she would have to choose between you and her friends, or possibly saving the world. In the end, I know which one she chose."

She paused only for a moment to compose herself better. "I'm so sorry to have put you in that situation", her voice was soft and filled with regret. Jaune knew she meant every word of it when a few of her tears landed on his neck.

Jaune finally freed his arms from the confines of his blanket and returned Glynda's hug. Although he wasn't quite sure about what she meant by "choosing her friends or saving the world"; he figured it might having something to do with the woman in the pod. Now was his chance to find out.

He pulled back from Glynda's hug. "Professor, I need to ask you-", he stopped his question as he was caught off guard upon looking at Glynda's face.

The strong, stoic Huntress was looking back at him, tears still flowing from her eyes and a genuine, melancholy smile radiating from her face.

"Yes, Mr Arc?" she asked while wiping her eyes and calming herself.

Jaune couldn't bring himself to ask the question. This was a bittersweet moment and he didn't want to make it more bitter than sweet by bringing up the tragedy that befell the Academy.

"Oh well, Professor, I was wondering…", he sat there awkwardly silent for a few seconds, trying his hardest to come up with a different question on the spot.

"Well?" asked Goodwitch, clearly beginning to lose her patience with him.

All Jaune was able to do was give an awkward laugh, while bringing up his right hand to rub the back of his head. As soon as his fingers touched his scalp he felt a long scab. He finally had his question.

"Professor, I was wondering, how did I end up here? The last thing I remember is someone coming to my aid and then I blacked out. Also…," Jaune was hesitant to ask but he needed to know how much time he lost, "you said the shelter was established on 'that first night'. So how long have I been out?"

Glynda shrugged off her annoyance and answered his questions with a smile.

"Ms. Belladonna brought you to you me… four days ago", Jaune's eyes widened slightly _four days!?_ , "You were in terrible shape. A concussion, several broken ribs, and a broken arm."

He could see her eyes were examining his body for his injuries.

"We knew you would pull through but we didn't know how long it would take for you to move around and be back to full health," said Glynda, as she pulled out her scroll.

"But from the looks of this," she said as she examined her scroll, "your aura is completely recharged. The only reason I can see for your miraculous recovery in a matter of days is due to your aura being quite powerful." She was about to put away her scroll when a notification popped up on the screen.

" Hmm ok, well Mr. Arc I have another patient to attend to. Most of the staff that was aiding me went home to check on their families. Right now I'm attending to you and eleven other patients for the time being." She stood up, put away her scroll, straightened her clothes and checked her reflection in the mirror.

"Now then, if you need me just message me. I'll be here as soon as I can if it's not an emergency", she said as she caught Jaune's eyes in the reflection.

"Well Professor I would but I don't have my scroll anymore. It was a… casualty of battle" he said sheepishly.

"Hmph, ok. Well I'll be back to check on you in 30 minutes. If you need anything before then… just yell in agony. Someone will be around." Jaune didn't know whether or not she was serious, but there was no emotion in her face. So he was going to believe her, just to play it safe.

Glynda started to walk out the door when she stopped and turned around.

"Mr. Arc, before I go I just want you to know that I'm glad you're ok. There's soup in the bowl with a glass of water and some pain medication if you need it. I know it's morning time but you still need to rest. Make sure you take it easy. I'll put the word out to your teammates that you're still alive."

And with that she exited the room.

Jaune reached for the medication and water. He wasn't really hungry as much as he was thirsty, and he would take anything to help quell the stiffness.

He swallowed the pills and downed the water. He gently laid his head back down on the pillow, turning his neck slightly to look out of the window.

"For such a terrible night, the day sure is beautiful." After he laid there a few minutes his eyes were getting heavier. Jaune didn't feel like sleeping before, but he assumed his drowsiness was a side effect of the pain medication.

As his eyes started to close while staring out the window, he noticed a black bird fly past his room.

His eyes followed the bird's flight path from left to right, and as it passed his window, he noticed he could see the edge of the mirror- and what looked like a red haired figure standing over him, reaching out to touch him.

"No, not again! I _must_ be going crazy!" he thought.

Jaune attempted to move his head, to wake himself up, but to no avail.

He fell into a deep slumber.


End file.
